Paul B. Lister, M.A., C.C.C. offers an article in The Main Central Jin Shin Jyutsu Newsletter issue from Summer 2005, Number 49 about his experience with Jin Shin Jyustu. This, and all issues of The Main Central, are available at http://www.jsjinc.net.

~ Paul B. Lister, M.A., C.C.C. Speech-Language Pathologist, Private Practice in New Hampshire.

Excerpted from an article appearing in The Ammonoosuc Times, New Hampshire, February 11, 2005, this is about the author’s observations and experience with Jin Shin Jyutsu on stroke and brain-injured adults. He has worked with Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner, Irene Lambert, in Littleton, New Hampshire.

One of the most wonderful things about what happens in professions of healing is the unexpected. Some scenarios render a perfectly healthy individual defenseless and near death with expectation that can, at best, be called guarded. Head injuries are measured on scales of severity and many patients begin with the Glasgow Coma Scale that identifies levels of responses even when in a deep coma. The longer and deeper the coma, the more likely recovery will be diminished. Some patients never emerge from this deep valley of darkness, others do.

The second scale during recovery is applied to behavior, communication and mental status called the Rancho Los Amigos Scale from the rehabilitation hospital that developed it. At the worst and lower end (Level I), a patient has no response to pain, sound, sight or touch while at the highest and most desirable end (Level VIII) a person has nearly no detectable residual problems of cognition, behavior or communication. Unfortunately few patients achieve this status.

A current patient has returned home from hospitalization and rehabilitation following a devastating motor vehicle accident nearly a year ago. She has been blessed with a most remarkable family and support staff who took her home well before her residential rehab staff felt she was ready. I am very privileged to serve on her support team at home, but I was skeptical because of the intense level of care that would be necessary and the demands that confusion and agitation place upon a family. She was returning with a Rancho Los Amigos Scale Level IV, described as confused and agitated while remaining alert and very active. Behaviors are described as aggressive and often unusual.

Progress at this time has been exceptional, and there appears to be no foreseeable plateaus in the immediate future. Along her recovery road, many gains and responses have been predictable with incremental gains made in increased attention span, appropriateness of responses, improved processing, reduced paranoia, improved writing and math performance and improved memory of events that transpired more than two years ago.

That brings me to the unexpected gains that could not be accounted for in clinical therapy. Tension and aggravation subsided even in the presence of difficult treatment and social situations. If this had occurred as the only surprise, it could be construed as a clinical by-product (but don’t ask me to explain how). Something else occurred that at first had showed limited promise but now is returning beyond any reasonable expectation and that is short term memory. This is usually the last area to show recovery and in many patients never returns to a functional level. Things we did two hours ago or yesterday or last week fail to be stored or if they are stored, cannot be retrieved in a reasonable manner.

To be continued…